Diplomatic downfall

[Jah Gol]

‘A silent shame’ Uncle Sam shut the door

Originally printed at http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/A-silent-shame-Uncle-Sam-shut-the-door-201164151.html

By Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com
April 2, 2013
It is a silent shame the United States government has not yet responded to queries by the Government on a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe linked to National Security Minister Jack Warner.

This was stated yesterday by Opposition Senator Fitzgerald Hinds in his contribution on the Miscellaneous Provisions (Defence and Police Complaints) Bill, 2013 at the Senate sitting at Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain.

In piloting the bill for debate in the Senate, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan had said if another country were to attempt to take over Trinidad and Tobago, assis- tance from “Uncle Sam” would be sought. Speaking just after Ramlogan, Hinds pointed out that Uncle Sam had not yet responded to this Government after two days.

“They called Uncle Sam over the last 48 hours, he shut the door on them either because he don’t trust them or because the Government is so suspect. So don’t call Uncle Sam, he will not answer you, Attorney General. He doesn’t trust you. What a shame! Uncle Sam doesn’t trust you. I will leave the rest for another place, Madam Vice President. Outside this House,” said Hinds.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, in a release at the weekend, admitted there was no response yet from the US regarding the FBI probe.

She indicated she had requested Ramlogan and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran pursue the matter through diplomatic channels.

Ramlogan has written to US Attorney General Eric Holder, seeking information on the issue.

[Jah Gol]

Rowley: Is it blackmail?
Originally printed at http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Rowley-Is-it-blackmail-201164291.html

By Ria Taitt Political Editor
April 2, 2013
Is it a measure of blackmail?
This question was asked yesterday by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley in seeking to explain Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s failure to take action against National Security Minister Jack Warner.

Speaking yesterday at a news conference at his Port of Spain office, Rowley said this was the same Prime Minister who (as Opposition Leader) was one of those who led the charge against former prime minister Patrick Manning for failing to act against former Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd (UDeCOTT) chairman Calder Hart, and who was able to fire Collin Partap “within hours” of his alleged refusal to take a breathalyser test (“even while he was protesting his innocence”).

But now she was “brakesing” and “covering up” for Warner, talking about her commitment to the rule of law and the presumption of innocence, he said. He added that the yardstick (used with Hart and Partap) had changed in her dealings with Warner.

Quoting from newspaper articles, Rowley said in April 2010 Warner had called on Manning to resign for his failure to act against Hart notwithstanding the fact that he (Manning) was aware Hart was the subject of a possible criminal investigation.

But now this Prime Minister (Persad-Bissessar) was “seeking to raise the Titanic to sail to a foreign port to get a letter” before taking any decision, he said.
Rowley said the Prime Minister could not even tell the country her National Security Minister has told her categorically “within the minute” he is not involved in any of the matters before the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and he is not the subject of any investigation.
“The minister is not in a position to ask his son, ‘What are they (US investigators) talking to you about? What are we involved in? What are they interested in?’ This conversation does not take place between the minister and his son (‘and business partner’)... So the minister is not in a position to tell the Prime Minister what his son and himself are facing with respect to what is being published (in the media)... so that they (the Government) can continue business as usual because this critical information is not available to the Prime Minister...
“If that is the position of the minister in relating to the Prime Minister, that alone is grounds for the Prime Minister to ask him to leave the Cabinet, and if he doesn’t leave, then you fire him,” Rowley said.

Rowley said the people of this country must know they have a Prime Minister who is not free to act to protect the public interest.
He said no member of Cabinet in Warner’s position could afford to take the position and say, “I ain’t going nowhere.”

“What all this says [is] that the Prime Minister is not free to act to protect the Cabinet, the Government and the country,” Rowley said, adding: “The Prime Minister is afraid to touch the Minister of National Security, not only in this matter but in other situations as well, and has set out whenever they are exposed to create all kinds of explanations as to why they (she) cannot act.”

Noting that rumours about Warner’s sons had been around since January, Rowley said it was only when there was a Reuters report late last month that the Prime Minister said she instructed the Foreign Affairs Minister and Attorney General to get confirmation.

He said “even before this instruction was carried out” the usually “hyperactive” Attorney General told the media the Government had “exhausted” all diplomatic channels to get information.

He said the Attorney General stated further that when the facts are determined, the Government would make a deliberation on the matter.

[Jah Gol]

T&T becoming ‘pariah state’
Originally printed at http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/TT-becoming-pariah-state-201163821.html

By Ria Taitt
April 3, 2013
If, as the Trinidad and Tobago Government suggests, the US authorities are snubbing it in its attempt to get information on whether National Security Minister Jack Warner is the subject of an investigation in that country, then it points to the fact that this country has reached an all-time low in its relations with that country.
This is the view of Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley.
“The very fact that the Government could be very glibly reporting to us that they have not been in receipt of any information from the US authorities to clarify for the Prime Minister whether or not a minister of government is the subject of this US investigation, should tell the people of Trinidad and Tobago how far we have fallen in our relations with the US government,” Rowley said at a news conference yesterday.

Rowley said he anticipated more unpleasant actions vis-a-vis the US government.

“I am sure it is clear to the US as it is to us that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago led by the Prime Minister is more concerned about protecting the Minister of National Security than (it is concerned) about the protection of the interest of Trinidad and Tobago,” he said.
“And once the US government comes to that conclusion, they have a variety of ways of dealing with rogue countries that put themselves in pariah status. And what this UNC (United National Congress) Government led by Kamla Persad-Bissessar is doing is moving Trinidad and Tobago into the status of pariah states with the US government, where, as we fail to cooperate with extradition, as we speak untruths both locally and abroad, as we protect persons who have questions to answer, as we elevate them in our national security system, as we promote them to high office in the Cabinet, as we protect them from the media, we may very well find other unpleasant actions coming from the US which would have serious negative effects on the population of Trinidad and Tobago,” Rowley stated.

He said the giving of information on whether someone is the subject of an investigation in no way prejudices the court proceedings of that investigation if it proceeds to the court.
Rowley said the US would not share sensitive data with a country whose national security minister is the subject of an investigation in that country.

He said every time Warner’s name is mentioned in unsavoury matters overseas, it is done in the context of his presence in the Government as National Security Minister. “On that basis alone, he should be removed. The Prime Minister has a duty to protect the good name of the country, protect our best interests,” he said.

[Bakes]

I actually think that the funniest thing in all of this is the assertion by "&&" (<------ funniest thing I ever did see) and Tantie Kams that Eric Holder is Ramlogan's "counterpart".  These people haven't the faintest clue.  Holder is the US Government's chief law enforcement officer... can they say the same for that political muppet, Ramlogan?  Gaspard musse siddung in he office just rocking back in silence.

[Socapro]

Rowely sounds warning
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/lQfuizxny8g" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/lQfuizxny8g</a>